As Amended April, 2000

 

Article I

Name and Organization

Section 1.

The name of the organization is The Minnesota Dahlia Society, Inc.

Section 2.

The organization is formed for the purpose of stimulating interest in and promoting the culture and development of the Dahlia; to bring Dahlia growers into closer and more friendly contact with each other; to conduct an annual Dahlia show, and to do such other acts and things as are incidental to the purposes herein stated.

 

Article II

Membership

Section 1.

Admission to membership shall be open to any person who is interested in Dahlias.

Section 2.

There shall be five classes of members: (A) Individual, (B) Family, (C) Life, (D) Honorary, and (E) Sustaining.

(A)

An Individual member is one who has made regular application for membership and has paid the membership dues as outlined in Article III. An individual member pays dues, may vote, hold office, serve on committees, shall receive the Dahlia Digest and other current publications of the society and may enjoy all the benefits and privileges of the society.

(B)

Upon payment of specified dues, a member and partner and all dependent children 18 years of age and younger may become family members and all will be accorded the same benefits and privileges as individual members, except that they will receive only one copy of the Dahlia Digest.

(C)

A member who has been in good standing continuously for a period of twenty-five years or more, upon reaching the age of sixty-five, may apply to be enrolled as a Life Member. A Life Member shall pay no dues, may vote, hold office and serve on committees, shall receive the Dahlia Digest and other current publications of the society.

(D)

Former members and other persons who have rendered distinguished service to the society may be elected to Honorary Membership upon unanimous recommendation of the Board of Directors and a majority vote of the members present at any regular meeting of the society. Honorary members shall not pay dues, nor may they vote or hold office. They shall receive the Dahlia digest and other publications of the Society and may serve on committees.

(E)

An Individual member may become a Sustaining member by payment of a minimum of $150.00. A Sustaining member is enrolled for life, he/she shall not pay dues, may vote, hold office; serve on committees and shall receive the Dahlia Digest and other current publications of the Society. He/She shall enjoy all the benefits and privileges of the Society. The purpose of the Sustaining member is to allow a member of the Minnesota Dahlia Society to contribute extra funds for Society activities.

 

Article III

Dues

Section 1.

Honorary, Life and Sustaining Members shall pay no dues.

Section II.

Individual Members shall pay annual dues at a rate to be established by the Board of Directors. Family Members shall pay dues at a rate established by the Board of Directors. The family rate shall include all eligible family members. Dues shall be payable January 1st and members whose dues are not paid by June 1s shall be dropped from the membership roll.

 

Article IV

Officers

Section 1.

The officers of the Society shall be: President, Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and four Directors.

Section 2.

The Board of Directors may at any regular or special meeting, by a two-thirds vote of all officers, declare open the office of any elected official who has failed to fulfill the duties of that office. No motion shall be made or discussed unless written notice is given to the officer holding such position at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting. The officer may appeal the decision of the Board to the full membership at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

Section 3.

All vacancies in office shall be filled by election at any regular meeting, notice having been given at a previous meeting.

 

Article V

Duties of Officers

Section 1.

The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer and shall preside at all meetings and serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors. The President shall appoint committees in accordance with the by-laws. The President shall report to the membership on the activities of each meeting of the Board of Directors.

Section 2.

The First Vice President shall assume the duties of the President in his absence and will be responsible for activities involving the Minnesota Dahlia Society outside normal society functions. Such activities will include, but not limited to, all dahlia shows and exhibitions sponsored by the Minnesota Dahlia Society. The First Vice President shall be assisted in the performance of these duties by persons/committees as appointed by the board.

Section 3.

The Second Vice President shall assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President and the First Vice President. This position will also be responsible for planning and carrying out the internal programs of the Society including the monthly meetings, awards presentations and club sponsored fundraising activities. The Second Vice President shall be assisted in the performance of these duties by the Program Director and other committees as shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. The Second Vice President shall correspond with other dahlia societies for exchange medals.

Section 4

The Secretary shall have such duties as are usually associated with that office and shall also serve as Secretary of the Board of Directors. It shall the duty of the Secretary to see that each new member receives a copy of the Minnesota Dahlia Society, Inc. by-laws and that all members receive amendments that may be made to them. At the end of the year, the Secretary shall turn over records for the year to the following address:

Anderson Horticulture Library

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

3675 Arboretum Drive

Chaska, Minnesota 55318

These records are required to compile a history of activities for the year. They include minutes of regular meetings, minutes of board meetings, reports of the Treasurer and other pertinent records.

Section 5.

The Treasurer shall have such duties as are usually associated with that office. At the discretion of the Board of Directors, the Treasurer shall post a bond of $2,000, the cost of which will be paid by the Minnesota Dahlia Society. The Treasurer shall present a budget to the Board of Directors at the February Board of Directors meeting for their approval. Besides a budget of regular Society operations, the budget will include a detailed Annual Show Budget. The budget will then be presented to Society members at the regular March meeting.

Section 6A. Deleted

Section 6B. Deleted

Section 7.

The ADS Representative shall be a voting member of the Board of Directors, shall be the official correspondent of the society to the ADS, represent the Society at ADS functions, make regular reports to the American Dahlia Society Bulletin on Minnesota Society activities, and serve as Evaluation Chairperson of the Society’s dahlia judges.

Section 8.

The Program Director will work with the Second Vice President in the planning and preparation of the general monthly membership meetings and will be responsible for setting up and coordinating the activities of the Calling Committee and the Kitchen Committee.

Section 9.

The Membership Director will be responsible for the processing of new member applications and the updating and publication of the society directory. This position will also see that all new members receive copies of the society by-laws and directory, that blank membership applications are available for all appropriate functions and will advise the board on the eligibility of members for honorary Life status.

Section 10.

The Trial Garden Director will be responsible for all Trial Garden activities and will serve as Chairperson of the Trial Garden Committee. Responsibilities will include the maintenance of trial garden records, coordination with U of M Arboretum staff, establishment of maintenance teams and the carrying out of Spring planting and Fall digging operations.

Section 11.

The Board of Directors shall be composed of nine members: The President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, ADS Representative, Trial Garden Director, and two additional Directors.

The President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and two directors shall be elected for staggered two-year terms, with three elected one year and four the next.

The ADS Representative and the Trial Garden Director are selected by the Board of Directors and continue to serve until their resignation, or until they are replaced by the Board of Directors. As a vacancy in the position develops it will be filled by the Board. Their place on the Board is dictated by their position, not by the election process.

The Program Director and the Membership Director will be selected by the Board of Directors at their first Board Meeting of the new year.

Section 12.

The Board of Directors shall be responsible for the execution, through the officers, of the authorized policies of the Society and may initiate new policies in its judgment.

Section 13.

The Board of Directors shall meet at such times as the President shall request or upon written request of five members of the Society in good standing

Section 14.

In the absence of the President, Vice President and Second Vice President, the most immediate Past President, who is a member in good standing, shall preside over the meeting.

 

Article VI

Committees

Section 1.

The President shall appoint the following standing committees: Garden Advisory Committee, Garden Tour Committee, Nominating Committee, Sunshine Committee, Audit Committee, Trial Garden Committee and Judging Class Instructor.

Section 2.

The President shall appoint such other committees as are necessary to conduct the activities of the Society.

Section 3.

The President shall be ex-offico member of all committees except the Audit Committee and the Nominating Committee.

Section 4.

Non-members of the Society may be appointed to committees at the discretion of the President.

Section 5.

All committees appointed must have the approval of the Board of Directors.

 

Article VII

Meetings

Section 1.

A meeting of the Society for the election of Officers and Directors shall be held in the month of December.

Section 2.

The Annual Meeting shall take place at the first meeting of the Society in the new year (after January 1st). The annual meeting will be for the annual committee reports and the installation of Officers and Directors.

Section 3.

Other meetings shall be held during the year at the discretion of the President with the advice of the Board of Directors or upon the written request of ten members of the Society in good standing.

Section 4.

Fifteen members of the Society in good standing shall constitute a quorum.

 

Article VIII

Nominations

Section 1.

The President shall, prior to September 10th, appoint a Nominating Committee of three, who shall present at a regular meeting of the Society in November (October if there is no meeting in November) a slate of candidates, if possible for each office. At the November meeting (October meeting if there is no November meeting) further nominations may be made from the floor.

Section 2.

Members elected to office must have been members In good standing for not less than two years.

Section 3.

It shall be the duty of the Secretary, at least ten days before the December Meeting to notify all members of the meeting and include with such notice a list of candidates for each office.

 

Article IX

Annual Show

Section 1.

The Society shall hold an annual show at a place and on dates designated by the Board of Directors.

Section 2.

The show schedule and show rules shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

Section 3.

The schedule should be completed by the show committee and mailed to the members by the first of March each year, if possible.

 

Article X

Affiliations

Section 1.

The Society shall maintain affiliations with the American Dahlia Society and the Midwest Conference, provided that the conditions of these affiliations are acceptable to the Board of Directors.

Section 2.

Any member in good standing in any of our Midwest Conference affiliated Societies, residing outside the State of Minnesota, may participate in our Annual Show by presenting his own Society’s membership card.

 

Article XI

American Dahlia Society Award

Section 1.

The American Dahlia Society Award, as long as it is available to us, shall be awarded each year to a member selected from among those not having previously received this award, who has rendered outstanding service in promoting one or more of the activities of the Society. The selection shall be made after the Annual Show by a committee made up of the five latest available recipients of this award and the latest recipient shall be in charge of this committee.

 

Article XII

Midwest Show and/or National Show Fund

Section 1.

It shall be the policy of the Society, when funds are available and the Board of Directors agree to transfer each year from the general funds of the Society, the amount of $100.00 to a special fund. This fund shall be designated the Midwest Show Fund and/or the National Show Fund. This special fund

shall be used to assist in the financing of the Midwest and/or National Show at any time either of these shows is awarded to the Minnesota Dahlia Society.

Section 2.

The Treasurer shall maintain a separate savings account to safeguard these funds, and they shall not be expenses without a special authorization of the Board of Directors.

 

Article XIII

Parliamentary Practices

Section 1.

Robert’s Rules of Order shall be practiced subject to the provisions of the Bylaws.

Section 2.

The order of business shall be:

1. Secretary’s Report

2. Treasurer’s Report

3. Reports of Committees

4. Old Business

5. New Business

6. Adjournment

Reports of Committees d. Old Business e. New Business f. Adjournment g. Program

 

Article XIV

Amendments

Section 1.

These By-laws may be amended at any regular meeting, a quorum being present, by a two-thirds vote of all members present provided that notice of such proposed amendment shall have been mailed to each member at least one week before such meeting.